--- description: The actor shared a photo of himself as Snowden in basic training title: Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Edward Snowden in Movie: Photo image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [movies](/tag/movies/) ## movies Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Here's Your First Look at Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Edward Snowden ## Video: Late-Night Highlight: Joseph Gordon-Levitt Loves To Act With Fake Noses [Watch (HLS stream): Late-Night Highlight: Joseph Gordon-Levitt Loves To Act With Fake Noses](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/4EYngUW1.m3u8) (1:02)  _Published 2014-12-04. For your late-night highlight, Joseph Gordon-Levitt showed Conan O’Brien one of his many acting techniques. And it was hilarious._ by [Sarah Begley](/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 3, 2015 5:05 PM CUT by [Sarah Begley](/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 3, 2015 5:05 PM CUT If you’re looking for Oscar bait, taking a starring role in a biopic is usually a safe bet — even if the subject is one of the most controversial men alive. Joseph Gordon-Levitt likely had this in mind when he signed on for _Snowden_, directed by Oliver Stone and slated for a December release. The _Inception_ actor released the first photograph of himself in costume [on Facebook Tuesday](https://www.facebook.com/JoeGordonLevitt/photos/a.192553260768346.47041.192551487435190/970040803019584/?type=1&permPage=1 "undefined"), and if appearances are everything, it looks like the casting director made the right choice. In his post, Gordon-Levitt said he was surprised when he learned Edward Snowden had enlisted in the army in 2004, but was discharged after breaking both legs in basic training. “After that,” the actor wrote, “he was still determined to serve his country (love him or hate him, you gotta admit the guy’s strong-willed) and so he ended up getting a job at the CIA, which is where his career in Intelligence began.” The real-life Snowden’s lawyer [announced](http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/03/us-russia-usa-snowden-idUSKBN0LZ1U020150303 "undefined") Tuesday that the former NSA contractor is considering a return to the U.S. if he’s guaranteed a fair trial. But JGL is busy in the fictional Snowden’s early days, writing, “I’m just honored and excited to be doing a soldier sequence with Oliver. I keep saying to myself: “f-, this guy directed Platoon!” _Read next:_ [_Watch Joseph Gordon-Levitt Explain Why He’s a Feminist in a Truly Thoughtful Way_](http://time.com/3426757/watch-joseph-gordon-levitt-explain-why-hes-a-feminist-in-a-truly-thoughtful-way/?xid=time%5Freadnext "undefined") [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3730124/joseph-gordon-levitt-edward-snowden/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3730124/joseph-gordon-levitt-edward-snowden/"},"headline":"Here's Your First Look at Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Edward Snowden","datePublished":"2015-03-03T17:05:52.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T04:52:15.953Z","description":"The actor shared a photo of himself as Snowden in basic training","url":"https://time.com/3730124/joseph-gordon-levitt-edward-snowden/","keywords":["movies","Edward Snowden"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sarah Begley","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/sarah-begley/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/movies/","name":"movies"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3730124/joseph-gordon-levitt-edward-snowden/","name":"Here's Your First Look at Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Edward Snowden"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Late-Night Highlight: Joseph Gordon-Levitt Loves To Act With Fake Noses","description":"For your late-night highlight, Joseph Gordon-Levitt showed Conan O’Brien one of his many acting techniques. 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